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Gaudoin wants Kookaburras job

Ian McCullough

Paul Gaudoin admits he and fellow stand-in Kookaburras coach Graham Reid haven't always seen eye to eye since being placed in charge of the team's Commonwealth Games campaign.

The pair were handed the reins after Ric Charlesworth's shock decision to bring forward his retirement after last month's World Cup success and Gaudoin revealed the partnership hasn't so far been an easy one.

"It's been interesting. It challenges us and whatever challenges we face we find a solution and sometimes that's difficult and sometimes it's heated," Gaudoin told AAP.

"We do have big discussions but that is in the best interests of the team at the moment.

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"But that is the structure we've got and been handed and we have to do our best to win the gold medal for Australia."

The two men were assistant coaches to Charlesworth for five years and Gaudoin said they were caught completely off-guard by his decision to walk away after last month's World Cup win.

"We had no idea," he said.

"I can understand why he did it, but it was disappointing.

"When someone is gone like that you realise what you miss.

"For me it was the experience of working for someone like him who challenges you in so many ways.

"It's a sad loss, it's been a privilege to work with him for five years. The reason why I started in the job was to work with him and I'm grateful to have that opportunity."

Gaudoin, who played in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, said he'd love the chance to guide the team to the Rio Games in two years' time, with Hockey Australia set to make a decision on an individual coach in September.

"It would be a daunting task, but it would be a great honour," he said.

"When you've been involved in hockey for as long as I have ... I'd love to have a go.

"Whether it be now or sometime in the future I don't know ... it might be never but I would love to."

Former Kookaburra Mark Hager, who coaches New Zealand's women's side, has openly admitted he wants the job and Gaudoin admits winning gold in Glasgow will have little impact on Hockey Australia's decision.

"I don't think what happens here is going to make too much difference," he said.

"It's only a three-week preparation. It's not as if you have six months to work on things. We've inherited a group that was selected before this so it's a bit different.

"But winning gold would be great for the Kookaburras and Hockey Australia."